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§ THE GLASS FACTORY. §
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##¶&£§:~^, SEVERAL CENTURIES AFTER IT HAD LAST ,^~:§£&¶##
#¶&£§:~^,, BELONGED TO US, WE WENT ON AN OUTING TO ,,^~:§£&¶#
##¶&£§:~^, THE GLASS FACTORY THAT BORE OUR FAMILY ,^~:§£&¶##
#¶&£§:~^,, NAME. IT HAD CHANGED OWNERS MANY TIMES ,,^~:§£&¶#
##¶&£§:~^, SINCE OUR ANCESTORS DEATH, AND THEN ,^~:§£&¶##
#¶&£§:~^,, STOOD ABANDONED FOR A LONG WHILE. ,,^~:§£&¶#
##¶&£§:~^, FINALLY, THE NATURAL END STATION FOR ,^~:§£&¶##
#¶&£§:~^,, THE BUILDINGS THAT SURVIVE: A MUSEUM, ,,^~:§£&¶#
##¶&£§:~^, AND A GIFT SHOP. ,^~:§£&¶##
#¶&£§:~^,, ,,^~:§£&¶#
##¶&£§:~^, THERE'S A LONG TIME SINCE MY FAMILY ,^~:§£&¶##
#¶&£§:~^,, MADE ANYTHING. BY MANY, WE WOULD BE ,,^~:§£&¶#
##¶&£§:~^, CONSIDERED POOR. ,^~:§£&¶##
#¶&£§:~^,, ,,^~:§£&¶#
##¶&£§:~^, THERE ARE TWO MAIN FACTORY BUILDINGS, ,^~:§£&¶##
#¶&£§:~^,, DOMED THINGS OF SEVERAL FLOORS, MADE IN ,,^~:§£&¶#
##¶&£§:~^, YELLOW BRICK. LARGE BUT NARROW WINDOWS, ,^~:§£&¶##
#¶&£§:~^,, REMINESCENT OF SOME CATHEDRAL. ,,^~:§£&¶#
##¶&£§:~^, CUSTOM-MADE GLASS, OF COURSE, LARGE AND ,^~:§£&¶##
#¶&£§:~^,, LEADED, AND ASHEN. A BIT TOO DARK TO BE ,,^~:§£&¶#
##¶&£§:~^, PRACTICAL. ON THE EASTERN BUILDING, ,^~:§£&¶##
#¶&£§:~^,, SOME ARE SHATTERED. ,,^~:§£&¶#
##¶&£§:~^, ,^~:§£&¶##
#¶&£§:~^,, THE OTHER ONE IS PUBLICLY OPEN. THERE'S ,,^~:§£&¶#
##¶&£§:~^, A MUSEUM, WITH WAX FIGURES OF MY GREAT ,^~:§£&¶##
#¶&£§:~^,, GREAT GREAT GRANDFATHER, OR SOMETHING. ,,^~:§£&¶#
##¶&£§:~^, VARIOUS TOOLS (OR REPLICAS) LAID OUT ON ,^~:§£&¶##
#¶&£§:~^,, TABLES, WITH EXPLAINING TEXTS. A LOT OF ,,^~:§£&¶#
##¶&£§:~^, GLASS OF VARYING THICKNESS. ,^~:§£&¶##
#¶&£§:~^,, ,,^~:§£&¶#
##¶&£§:~^, §§ ,^~:§£&¶##
#¶&£§:~^,, §§ §§ ,,^~:§£&¶#
##¶&£§:~^, ~~~~~~~ § § ~~~~~~~ ,^~:§£&¶##
#¶&£§:~^,, §§ §§ ,,^~:§£&¶#
##¶&£§:~^, §§ ,^~:§£&¶##
#¶&£§:~^,, ,,^~:§£&¶#
##¶&£§:~^, I QUICKLY SNEAK OUT, AND CLIMB INTO THE ,^~:§£&¶##
#¶&£§:~^,, OTHER BUILDING. THE CONTRAST IS ,,^~:§£&¶#
##¶&£§:~^, OVERWHELMING. IT MUST HAVE STOOD ,^~:§£&¶##
#¶&£§:~^,, DERELICT FOR A LONG TIME, WINDOWS ,,^~:§£&¶#
##¶&£§:~^, BROKEN, METALLIC TRASH AND POOLS OF ,^~:§£&¶##
#¶&£§:~^,, DARK GLASS ALL OVER THE FLOOR. NO ,,^~:§£&¶#
##¶&£§:~^, ELECTRIC LIGHTS, BUT I CAN SEE BY THE ,^~:§£&¶##
#¶&£§:~^,, LIGHT THAT SHINES IN WHEREVER THE DARK ,,^~:§£&¶#
##¶&£§:~^, WINDOWS ARE MISSING A PANE. ,^~:§£&¶##
#¶&£§:~^,, ,,^~:§£&¶#
##¶&£§:~^, HOWEVER, THE GREATEST DIFFERENCE IS THE ,^~:§£&¶##
#¶&£§:~^,, HIGHER FLOORS: THIS BUILDING HAS NONE. ,,^~:§£&¶#
##¶&£§:~^, IT IS ONE MASSIVE HALL, STRETCHING AWAY ,^~:§£&¶##
#¶&£§:~^,, INFINITELY ABOVE ME. SOMEWHERE UP THERE ,,^~:§£&¶#
##¶&£§:~^, IS SOME GREAT IRON LATTICEWORK, FROM ,^~:§£&¶##
#¶&£§:~^,, WHERE CHAINS ARE SUSPENDED, AND PARTS ,,^~:§£&¶#
##¶&£§:~^, OF MACHINERY HAS BEEN FALLING DOWN. ,^~:§£&¶##
#¶&£§:~^,, ,,^~:§£&¶#
##¶&£§:~^, THERE IS, IN THE MIDDLE OF THE GREAT ,^~:§£&¶##
#¶&£§:~^,, HALL, A THIN SPIRAL STAIRCASE THAT ,,^~:§£&¶#
##¶&£§:~^, LEADS UP THERE. I SNEAK OVER THERE, AND ,^~:§£&¶##
#¶&£§:~^,, TAKE A FEW RELUCTANT STEPS. AFTER JUST ,,^~:§£&¶#
##¶&£§:~^, A REVOLUTION, I NOTICE THAT FOR EACH ,^~:§£&¶##
#¶&£§:~^,, STEP THE BUILDING STARTS TO GLOW, THE ,,^~:§£&¶#
##¶&£§:~^, BRICKS TURNING A DARK RED, AND THEN ,^~:§£&¶##
#¶&£§:~^,, ORANGE, ALL THE PILED UP DEBREE BEING ,,^~:§£&¶#
##¶&£§:~^, LIT FROM BEHIND. ,^~:§£&¶##
#¶&£§:~^,, ,,^~:§£&¶#
##¶&£§:~^, I STOP READY TO RUN DOWN AND OUT, BUT ,^~:§£&¶##
#¶&£§:~^,, THERE'S SOMEONE ELSE ON THE STAIRCASE ,,^~:§£&¶#
##¶&£§:~^, WITH ME NOW, PRESSED CLOSE. HE'S ,^~:§£&¶##
#¶&£§:~^,, LOOKING LIKE ME, SHORT HAIR AND THIN ,,^~:§£&¶#
##¶&£§:~^, ARMS, BUT WITH EARS FROM SOME ANIMAL, ,^~:§£&¶##
#¶&£§:~^,, AND MORE DISTURBINGLY, COMPLETELY MADE ,,^~:§£&¶#
##¶&£§:~^, OF DARK LIQUID GLASS. ,^~:§£&¶##
#¶&£§:~^,, ,,^~:§£&¶#
##¶&£§:~^, §§ ,^~:§£&¶##
#¶&£§:~^,, §§ §§ ,,^~:§£&¶#
##¶&£§:~^, ~~~~~~~ § § ~~~~~~~ ,^~:§£&¶##
#¶&£§:~^,, §§ §§ ,,^~:§£&¶#
##¶&£§:~^, §§ ,^~:§£&¶##
#¶&£§:~^,, ,,^~:§£&¶#
##¶&£§:~^, MY FEAR HOLDS ME IN PLACE WHILE HE ,^~:§£&¶##
#¶&£§:~^,, STARTS OPERATING LEVERS AND DIALS SET ,,^~:§£&¶#
##¶&£§:~^, IN THE CENTER OF THE STAIRCASE. SLOWLY, ,^~:§£&¶##
#¶&£§:~^,, IT STARTS SPINNING, CIRCLING UPWARDS. ,,^~:§£&¶#
##¶&£§:~^, IT'S AN ELEVATOR! I START TO RUN ,^~:§£&¶##
#¶&£§:~^,, DOWNWARDS, BUT NOW THE LIQUID BOY ,,^~:§£&¶#
##¶&£§:~^, CREATURE GRABS HOLD OF ME. I TRY TO ,^~:§£&¶##
#¶&£§:~^,, SHAKE HIM OFF, BUT HE'S TOO STRONG, AND ,,^~:§£&¶#
##¶&£§:~^, PULLS ME BACK UP BESIDE HIM. ,^~:§£&¶##
#¶&£§:~^,, ,,^~:§£&¶#
##¶&£§:~^, THIS TIME, I TURN ANGRY INSTEAD. WHAT ,^~:§£&¶##
#¶&£§:~^,, THE HELL? WHO IS THIS GUY, ACTING LIKE ,,^~:§£&¶#
##¶&£§:~^, THIS? I REACH OUT MY FREE ARM AND SLAM ,^~:§£&¶##
#¶&£§:~^,, A RANDOM LEVER. SOME METAL BAR IS ,,^~:§£&¶#
##¶&£§:~^, SUDDENLY RELEASED BETWEEN US, HITTING ,^~:§£&¶##
#¶&£§:~^,, HIM ON THE ARM, FORCING MY RELEASE. I ,,^~:§£&¶#
##¶&£§:~^, SHOVE HIM OFF OF ME, AND HE FALLS INTO ,^~:§£&¶##
#¶&£§:~^,, THE LEVERS, MESSING THEM UP. ,,^~:§£&¶#
##¶&£§:~^, IMMEDIATELY, A THIN RUSTY CHAINMAIL ,^~:§£&¶##
#¶&£§:~^,, CURTAIN IS DROPPED AROUND ME. BUT THE ,,^~:§£&¶#
##¶&£§:~^, ELEVATOR ALSO SPEEDS UP SIGNIFICANTLY. ,^~:§£&¶##
#¶&£§:~^,, ,,^~:§£&¶#
##¶&£§:~^, THE WALLS ARE FLARING NOW, YELLOW, ,^~:§£&¶##
#¶&£§:~^,, WHITE, ALMOST BLUE. I CLOSE MY EYES AND ,,^~:§£&¶#
##¶&£§:~^, CURL INTO A BALL. BUT THEN, THE GLASS ,^~:§£&¶##
#¶&£§:~^,, BOY SCREAMS, A PIERCING SOUND THAT ,,^~:§£&¶#
##¶&£§:~^, FORCES MY EYES BACK OPEN. I WATCH AS HE ,^~:§£&¶##
#¶&£§:~^,, BECOMES TOO LIQUID, HIS BODY POOLING ,,^~:§£&¶#
##¶&£§:~^, DOWN IN HIS NOW MASSIVE TAIL, AND THE ,^~:§£&¶##
#¶&£§:~^,, TIP OF IT SUDDENLY BREAKS OF IN A GLASS ,,^~:§£&¶#
##¶&£§:~^, DROP THAT FALLS TOWARD THE FACTORY ,^~:§£&¶##
#¶&£§:~^,, FLOOR. ,,^~:§£&¶#
##¶&£§:~^, ,^~:§£&¶##
#¶&£§:~^,, HE'S CRAWLING ON THE STAIRS, UNABLE TO ,,^~:§£&¶#
##¶&£§:~^, KEEP HIS BODY UPRIGHT. CAN'T REACH THE ,^~:§£&¶##
#¶&£§:~^,, LEVERS, CLAWS AT MY CHAINMAIL CAGE, ,,^~:§£&¶#
##¶&£§:~^, WHILE HIS BODY IS TURNING INTO DARK ,^~:§£&¶##
#¶&£§:~^,, PEARLS. FINALLY, HE'S LOST TOO MUCH OF ,,^~:§£&¶#
##¶&£§:~^, HIMSELF AND THE SCREAM IS CUT SHORT. ,^~:§£&¶##
#¶&£§:~^,, THE LAST OF HIM RAINS DOWN. ,,^~:§£&¶#
##¶&£§:~^, ,^~:§£&¶##
#¶&£§:~^,, I STILL CAN'T REACH THE LEVERS FROM ,,^~:§£&¶#
##¶&£§:~^, WITHIN MY CAGE. LOOKING UP, I TRY TO ,^~:§£&¶##
#¶&£§:~^,, MAKE OUT THE CEILING, BUT IT'S ALL A ,,^~:§£&¶#
##¶&£§:~^, WHIRLING SEA OF COLOURS. BELOW ME GLOWS ,^~:§£&¶##
#¶&£§:~^,, THE HELLFIRE OF THE FACTORY WALLS, BUT ,,^~:§£&¶#
##¶&£§:~^, VERY FAINT. I SIT DOWN, CURL BACK UP, ,^~:§£&¶##
#¶&£§:~^,, BECOME STILL. ,,^~:§£&¶#
##¶&£§:~^, ,^~:§£&¶##
#¶&£§:~^,, §§ ,,^~:§£&¶#
##¶&£§:~^, §§ §§ ,^~:§£&¶##
#¶&£§:~^,, ~~~~~~~ § § ~~~~~~~ ,,^~:§£&¶#
##¶&£§:~^, §§ §§ ,^~:§£&¶##
#¶&£§:~^,, §§ ,,^~:§£&¶#
##¶&£§:~^, ,^~:§£&¶##
#¶&£§:~^,, A LARGE CLUNK SHAKES MY ENTIRE BODY, ,,^~:§£&¶#
##¶&£§:~^, AND SNAPS ME BACK INTO REALITY. I'M ,^~:§£&¶##
#¶&£§:~^,, BACK AT THE FACTORY FLOOR, BUT THE ,,^~:§£&¶#
##¶&£§:~^, STAIRS ARE STILL MOVING SLIGHTLY, ,^~:§£&¶##
#¶&£§:~^,, CLICKING IN PLACE, CARRYING ME THE LAST ,,^~:§£&¶#
##¶&£§:~^, FEW CENTIMETERS. I CAME FROM BELOW, ,^~:§£&¶##
#¶&£§:~^,, SOMEHOW. THE CHAINMAIL IS RETRACTED, ,,^~:§£&¶#
##¶&£§:~^, AND I SLOWLY DISMOUNT THE STAIRS. ,^~:§£&¶##
#¶&£§:~^,, ,,^~:§£&¶#
##¶&£§:~^, SHAKING AND CRYING, I MAKE MY WAY OVER ,^~:§£&¶##
#¶&£§:~^,, THE FACTORY FLOOR, WADING THROUGH DARK ,,^~:§£&¶#
##¶&£§:~^, GLASS MARBLES. A QUICK GLANCE DOWN, AND ,^~:§£&¶##
#¶&£§:~^,, I SEE THERE'S SOMETHING FAINT INSIDE ,,^~:§£&¶#
##¶&£§:~^, THEM. EMBRYOS? ARE THESE EGGS? ,^~:§£&¶##
#¶&£§:~^,, ,,^~:§£&¶#
##¶&£§:~^, I SHUDDER, AND CLIMB BACK OUT. ,^~:§£&¶##
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